Parliament has passed three key Bills – the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 with the Rajya Sabha giving its seal of approval today.
   
The Lok Sabha has already passed the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill on 26th of July and the Mines and Minerals Bill on 28th of July.
   
The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill exempts land within 100 kilometers of the country's borders from the purview of conservation laws and permits setting up of zoos, safaris and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas.
   
The Mines and Minerals Bill seeks to allow the private sector to mine six out of 12 atomic minerals, including Lithium, and deep-seated minerals such as gold and silver.
   
The Jan Vishwas Bill seeks to promote ease of business by decriminalising minor offences by amending 183 provisions in 42 acts. It was passed by the house with a voice vote. It was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha on 27th of July.
   
Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said the bill will promote the ease of doing business by decriminalising a number of provisions.
 
The Bill seeks to convert several fines to penalties, meaning that court prosecution is not necessary to administer punishments.
 
It also seeks to remove imprisonment as a punishment for many offenses. The Bill also seeks to remove all offenses under the Post Office Act, 1898.
     
The Bills were passed by a voice vote, amid a walkout by opposition members demanding a discussion over the Manipur violence issue.
 
During the debate on the Forests Bill, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the Bill exempts certain types of land such as forest land along a rail line or a public road maintained by the government, and providing access to a habitation or to a rail and roadside amenity up to a maximum size of 0.10 hectares.
 
Exempted forest land includes land situated within 100 kilometers of international borders, Line of Control, and Line of Actual Control, and proposed to be used for the construction of strategic linear projects for national security.
   
The Bill also exempts land up to 10 hectares proposed to be used for constructing security-related infrastructure, land proposed to be used for defense-related projects or paramilitary forces' camps, and public utility projects, as specified by the Centre, not exceeding five hectares in a left-wing extremism-affected area.
 
The Bill empowers the central government to specify, by order, the terms and conditions subject to which any survey, such as reconnaissance, prospecting, investigation or exploration including seismic survey, shall not be treated as non-forest purpose.
 
Introducing the Bill, Minister Bhupender Yadav said almost 45 lakh hectares of land was diverted in the country during 1950 and 1980 when Congress-led government was in the country.
 
Participating in the debate, Sushil Kumar of BJP Modi said the name of the Bill has been changed to Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam and a preamble has been added to it.
 
He said under the provisions of the Bill, in border areas like those within 100 kilometers boundary of the Line of Actual Control and Line of Control, if a project is declared as having strategic importance and concerning national security, up to 10 hectares of land can be acquired without going for clearance by Forest Conservation process. However, he said the land will be acquired as per the guidelines of the central government.
   
Besides, there is a provision to acquire up to five hectares of land in left-wing extremism areas, he said.
 
Prashanta Nanda of Biju Janata Dal supported the Bill but said deemed forests need to be included in the definition of forests in accordance with a Supreme Court judgment of 1995 as lots of good forest areas which are neither notified nor forest in government records are now going to be diverted and destroyed.
 
The Mines and Minerals Bill seeks to allow the private sector to mine six out of 12 atomic minerals, including Lithium, and deep-seated minerals such as gold and silver was passed by Rajya Sabha today amid a walkout by opposition members demanding a discussion on the Manipur violence issue.
 
Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi moved the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023, when the Rajya Sabha reassembled for the post-lunch period.
 
Replying to the debate, the Minister said the legislation is an important issue considering the way in which the world is changing.
 
He said it is estimated that 95 "most precious" minerals are found in India but the country is still importing them.
 
Joshi alleged that policy paralysis, corruption, and nepotism in the previous Government are to be blamed for large-scale import of minerals such as coal despite the country having large reserves.
 
As many as 11 members, including Aditya Prasad, Baburam Nishad, and Deepak Prakash all BJP, GK Vasan of Tamil Maanila Congress (M), V Vijayasai Reddy of YSR Congress Party, M Thambidurai of AIADMK and Sasmit Patra of Biju Janata Dal, took part in the discussion and supported the Bill.
 
Prior to this Bill, all 12 atomic minerals were reserved for mining and exploration by state-owned entities. The Bill amended The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
 
The atomic minerals which will be opened for private sector exploration are Lithium (used for manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage devices), beryllium, niobium, titanium, tantalum and zirconium.
 
The Bill also empowers the central government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for certain critical minerals.
 
Deep-seated minerals include gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, cobalt, platinum group of minerals and diamonds. They are difficult and expensive to explore and mine as compared to surficial or bulk minerals.
 
Discussion on the Bill took place in Rajya Sabha amid opposition uproar over the Manipur violence issue as they demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House. They later staged a walkout.
 
Members of the opposition The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A .) bloc parties walked out of the Rajya Sabha twice today demanding a discussion on the Manipur issue besides alleging that the leader of the opposition was not allowed to speak in the House.
 
When the Upper House, witnessed opposition members walk out in the pre-lunch period, reassembled at 2 PM, Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi moved the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023, for consideration and passage.
   
The Opposition members intensified their demand for a discussion on the Manipur issue and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in the House.
 
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar categorically said he cannot issue a directive to the prime minister to come to the House as opposition leaders pressed for a statement by Narendra Modi on the Manipur issue.
 
Deputy Chairman Harivansh later allowed Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress to speak on the Mines and Minerals bill but disallowed him not to raise the Manipur issue, following which the opposition members staged a walkout.
 
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said, "India is working on future infrastructure in a way that our forests are not disturbed and connectivity and connection can also go rapidly," while replying to the debate on the Forest Conservation Bill.
   
He said that tribals and forest dwellers are getting only 5 acres so that basic amenities like schools, dispensaries, water tanks, etc can be made there for inclusive development of all.
   
The intention in this Bill is to declare the zoo and eco-tourism as a nonforest activity, the Minister said.
   
During the discussion on the Bill, S Niranjan Reddy of YSR Congress Party urged the Government to issue strict guidelines and restrictions to ensure conservation of forests.
   
Hishey Lachungpa of Sikkim Democratic Front called for unclassifying land meant for public utility purposes from the purview of the Forest Conservation Act 1980 and transfer to the State.
   
V Vijayasai Reddy of YSR Congress Party said the states should also be consulted while making the legislation.
   
M Thambidurai of AIADMK said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took a lot of power from the state government and brought it to the centre during the Emergency and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understanding the problems of the states as he has served as Chief Minister of a state.
   
"We are concerned about the protection of elephants and not human beings. That is our fate now. We have to preserve our animals," he said.
     
GK Vasan Tamil Maanila Congress (M) also raised concern over the movement of wild animals in human habitation near forests.
   
Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Dinesh Chandra Jemalbhai Anavadiya, Ajay Pratap Singh, and Ramilaben Becharbhai Bara all BJP also participated in the discussion.
        
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day today without taking up a scheduled discussion on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 amid protests by opposition members on the Manipur issue.
 
Several BJP members also protested against issues related to the Congress-ruled Rajasthan.
 
Speaker Om Birla who skipped the proceedings in the House has repeatedly expressed his displeasure over the repeated disruptions in the House by opposition members.
 
He has been stressing that the opposition members should allow a discussion on the Manipur issue to start in the House as the government is also willing for this.
 
However, opposition members continued to stick to their demand for a statement from the Prime Minister.
 
The government has asserted that as the issue concerns the Home Ministry, Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the discussion.
 
As the House assembled in the post-lunch session, the opposition members trooped into the well of the House raising slogans demanding a statement from the prime minister on the situation in Manipur, which has been witnessing months-long ethnic violence.
 
Kirit Solanki of BJP who was in the Chair, appealed to the opposition members to maintain decorum as he asked ministers to lay parliamentary papers on the table of the House. With the opposition leaders refusing to budge, the Chair adjourned the proceedings for the day.
 
Earlier, the House took up the Question Hour briefly amid the din.

 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Indian Railways is taking all measures to ensure the safety and security of the passengers and has installed CCTV systems at 866 railway stations.
 
The Railway Minister also informed that special arrangements, including special Railway Protection Force deployment, are in place at railway stations that are near border areas.
 
CCTV cameras have been installed at 866 railway stations. Their deployment has resulted in a positive impact in terms of rescuing children who are being trafficked, protecting women passengers and helping aged people, the minister said.
 
Responding to queries related to CCTV systems at railway stations, Vaishnaw said various initiatives have been taken and stressed that cyber security is important when it comes to Internet Protocol-based CCTV systems. It needs to be ensured that such systems are not compromised, he said.
 
Internet Protocol-based video surveillance system is a digitized and networked version of Closed Circuit Television.
 
The discussion on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill is now likely to start tomorrow after its scheduled start for today did not take place.
 
The Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha yesterday to replace the Delhi Services Ordinance. Opposition Members have been vehemently protesting against it even as Home Minister Amit Shah asserted in the House that Parliament is empowered to make laws for Delhi and termed the objection to it as politically motivated.
 
The proposed legislation, which gives the Delhi Lieutenant Governor a final say on the transfer and posting of officials of the city government, will strengthen the Central government's control over the national capital. The bill was approved by the Union Cabinet 25th of July.
 
The bill seeks to reverse the effect of the Supreme Court verdict in May that gave the Delhi government control over administrative services.
 
As the opposition leaders stormed the well and tore papers questioning the introduction of the bill, Home Minister Amit Shah said our Constitution allows Parliament to make laws for Delhi. Any opposition to this bill has no constitutional basis and is politically motivated. There is no reason for the opposition to cite parliamentary procedure.
 
The Bill seeks to establish the National Capital Civil Services Authority, which consists of the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary of Delhi, Principal Home Secretary of Delhi.  The Authority will make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor regarding transfers and postings of officials and disciplinary matters.
 
It empowers the Lieutenant Governor to exercise his sole discretion on several matters including those recommended by the National Capital Civil Services Authority, and the summoning, prorogation and dissolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
 
It authorises Department Secretaries to bring to the notice of the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary on any matter that may bring Delhi Government into controversy with the Central Government.